Power line carrier communication system and its communication device, and method for constructing power line carrier communication system

Abstract

A power line carrier communication system includes a power line, a first communication device, a second communication device, the first and second communication devices being arranged on the power line and performing a communication via the power line, a storage section that stores information on a physical position of a first communication device, a detecting section that detects a communication state between the first and second communication devices, a relative position calculating section that calculates a relative position between the first and second communication devices based on the communication state, and an arithmetic operation section that calculates a physical position of the second communication device from the relative position and the information on the physical position of the first communication device stored in the storage section, and stores information on the calculated physical position of the second communication device into the storage section.

1. A power line carrier communication system comprising:
 a power line; 
 a first communication device; 
 a second communication device; 
 a third communication device, the first, second, and third communication devices being arranged on the power line and performing communications via the power line; 
 a storage section that stores information on a physical position of the first and third communication devices; 
 a detecting section that detects a first communication state between the first and second communication devices, and a second communication state between the second and third communication devices, wherein the first and second communication states are the signal strengths of received signals; 
 a relative position calculating section that calculates a first relative position between the first and second communication devices, and a second relative position between the second and third communication devices based on a ratio of (i) a signal strength received at the first communication device from the second communication device, and (ii) a signal strength received at the third communication device from the second communication device; and 
 an arithmetic operation section that calculates a physical position of the second communication device from the first and second relative positions calculated by the relative position calculating section and the information on the physical position of the first and third communication devices stored in the storage section, and stores information on the calculated physical position of the second communication device into the storage section. 
 
   
   
     2. The power line carrier communication system according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a display section that displays the position of the second communication device on a map in an overlaid fashion. 
 
   
   
     3. The power line carrier communication system according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the physical position of the second communication device is calculated based on a distance between the first and third communication systems. 
 
   
   
     4. The power line carrier communication system according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the relative position calculating section calculates the first and second relative positions in consideration of position information of the first and third communication devices on the power line. 
 
   
   
     5. A method for constructing a power line carrier communication system that arranges a new communication device onto the power line and identifies a position thereof to construct a network including a plurality of communication devices, the method comprising:
 a step of arranging the new communication device onto the power line; 
 an acquisition step of performing a first communication between an existing first communication device, which is previously arranged on the power line and whose position is identified, and the new communication device to acquire a first communication state thereof, and a second communication between an existing second communication device, which is previously arranged on the power line and whose position is identified, and the new communication device to acquire a second communication state thereof, wherein the first and second communication states are the signal strengths of received signals; 
 a relative position calculating step of obtaining a first relative position between the new communication device and the first existing communication device and a second relative position between the new communication device and the second existing communication device based on a ratio of (i) a signal strength received at the existing first communication device from the new communication device, and (ii) a signal strength received at the existing second communication device from the new communication device; and 
 a step of identifying a physical position of the new communication device from the first and second relative positions obtained in the relative position calculating step and the positions of the existing first and second communication devices. 
 
   
   
     6. A first communication device for communicating with a second communication device via a power line, comprising:
 a storage section that stores information on a physical position of the first and third communication device; 
 an acquisition section that acquires a first communication state between the first communication device and the second communication device, and a second communication state between the second communication device and the third communication device connected to the power line, wherein the first and second communication states are the signal strengths of received signals; 
 a relative position calculating section that calculates a first relative position between the first communication device and the second communication device and a second relative position between the third communication device and the second communication device based on a ratio of (i) a signal strength received at the first communication device from the second communication device, and (ii) a signal strength received at the third communication device from the second communication device; and 
 an arithmetic operation section that calculates a physical position of the second communication device from the first and second relative positions calculated by a relative position calculating section and the information on the physical positions of the first and third communication devices stored in the storage section, and stores information on the calculated physical position of the second communication device into the storage section.